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Construction Worker Killed in Three Story SoHo Fall

By  Wil Cruz Trevor Kapp and Julie  Shapiro | May 17, 2012 5:51pm | Updated on May 17, 2012 9:51pm

Authorities remove stairs from the exterior of 450 Broome St. after a worker fell May 17, 2012.
Authorities remove stairs from the exterior of 450 Broome St. after a worker fell May 17, 2012.
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DNAinfo/Trevor Kapp

SOHO — A construction worker was killed after falling three stories onto scaffolding at a Broome Street building Thursday afternoon, officials said.

The man plunged off the 11-story building onto the scaffolding at 450 Broome St., near Mercer Street, at about 5 p.m., an FDNY spokesman said.

He was taken to Bellevue Hospital in traumatic arrest and was pronounced dead on arrival, police and the FDNY said.

Police identified the worker as Adrien Zamora, 28, of Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

"It appears the worker was doing facade renovation work on a scaffolding at 450 Broome Street, when he lost his footing and fell," said Department of Buildings spokesman Ryan Fitzgibbon Thursday night.

Police said he plunged from one ledge of scaffolding, falling at least 30 feet, landing on a lower floor of scaffolding.

Family and coworkers of the critically injured construction worker gathered at 450 Broome St., the scene of the accident, May 17, 2012.
Family and coworkers of the critically injured construction worker gathered at 450 Broome St., the scene of the accident, May 17, 2012.
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DNAinf/Trevor Kapp

Brasal Construction Corp., had all the necessary permits on file, according to Fitzgibbon. A Buildings department investigation is ongoing, he said.

Calls to Brasal Construction were not immediately returned.

A man whom coworkers identified as Zamora's father rushed to the scene of the accident, and began to sob when he heard the news of his son's death. He declined to speak with press about his son. Colleagues said they believed Zamora had a wife and two children.

Calls to Zamora's Westminster Avenue home, and a nearby relative, were not returned Thursday night.

Coworkers said the man had not been working at the construction site for very long. The New York Daily News reported that it was his first day on the job.

Harvey Trinidad, produce manager at Gourmet Garage across the street, said he stepped outside late Thursday afternoon and saw commotion by the building.

"The firemen were trying to perform CPR," Trinidad said. "He had his shirt off. He had blood all over his chest and face. A fireman said, 'He's not gonna make it.'"

The building, which has a boutique called Runway Couture on the ground floor and lofts above, is ringed in scaffolding and undergoing renovations.

The Department of Buildings issued a permit in March for repairs to the building's roof, windows and facade, online records show.

A man fell three stories onto scaffolding at 450 Broome St. in SoHo on May 17, 2012.
A man fell three stories onto scaffolding at 450 Broome St. in SoHo on May 17, 2012.
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DNAinfo/Theodore Parisienne

In January, debris fell from the scaffolding at 450 Broome St. and injured a pedestrian, leading the DOB to issue a violation for failure to protect the public and property, according to online records.

A representative of Tavros Mercer Owner LLC, which according to property records owns the building, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.